Method of making compound wall structures



Nov. 1, 1932. L.-KNOX METHOD OF MAKING COMPOUND WALL STRUCTURES OriginalFiled May 14, 1926 INVENTOR Patented Nov. 1, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE LUTHER L. KNOX, OF IBELLEVUE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO KNOXPRODUCTS COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OFPENNSYLVANIA METHOD OF MAKING COMPOUND WALL STRUCTURES Originalapplication filed May 14, 1926, Serial No. 109,182. Divided and thisapplication filed.

December 9, 1929.

This invention relates generally to a method of making compound orcomposite wall structures, and more particularly to a method of makingwalls especially adapted for use in refrigerators, ice boxes, ice creamcabinets or the like in which effective heat insulation properties aredesirable.

This application is a division of my 00- pending application Serial No.109,182, filed May 14, 1926.

Heretofore in the art of refrigeration, it has been proposed to utilizepreformed slabs or blocks of insulating material, such as cork, andprotect the same by outside coverings of steel or other suitablematerial. While such preformed slabs are highly desirable from thestandpoint of permanency, they have been open to the objection that inorder to maintam them properly positioned within the wall it has beennecessary to provide a framework. Also, in actual use, the aircirculation adjacent the insulating slabs or blocksprecipitates moisturein the interior of the cork which subsequently becomes frozen andthereby destroys the effectiveness of the cork for insulating purposes.

The present invention provides a method of making a composite wall whichis permanent structurally and which maintains its heat insulatingproperties permanently. Furthermore, in my process a structuralsupporting framework for maintaining the insulating slabs in position isunnecessary.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates the present preferredembodiment of my invention.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of apparatus suitable for carrying out theprocess;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section illustrating the method ofapplying the binding material;

Figure 3 is a section on the line III-III of Figure 1 illustrating themethod of uniting a protective sheathing with thebinding material; and IFigure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 show ing a sheathing beingapplied to the opposite side of the insulating body.

In carrying out the method of making a composite wall, a frame 10 isplaced on a Serial 110,412,656.

supporting plate 11. The frame is made up of end sections 12 and sidesections 13. The side sections and end sections are held together byclamps 14 which enable an insulating body 15 placed within the frame tobe compressed both transversely and longitudinally by the operation ofdrawing the side and I end sections of the frame together. 7

height somewhat greater than the thickness of the insulating slab.

In the preferred form, the height of the frame 10 is the same as thethickness of the composite wall structure which it is desired to make.Spacers 20 are then placed on the exposed surface of the insulating bodyand the top surface of the insulating body is coated by flowing inbinding material. The binding material is leveled off by means of a tool21, as illustrated in Figure 2. A protective sheathing 22 is thenapplied to the top of the binding material and the sheathing is causedto adhere to the binding material by applying pressure thereon.

As illustrated in Figures 1, 3 and 4, the means for-applyin pressure tothe sheathing comprises a r0 ler 23 having flanges 24 at its ends whichcooperate with the side sections 13 of the frame in order to guide theroller as it is made to traverse the frame. The roller 23 is mounted ina roller frame 25 having arms 26 which form bearings for a small roller27. In the rolling operation, the roller 27 maintains the sheathing 22out of the way of the roller 23, so that the sheathing is appliedwithout waves to the binding" material and, when pressure is exertedthereon by the roller 23, :it is firmly united with the bindingmaterial. I 7

After the top surface of the insulating body 15 has had a coating ofbinding material applied thereto and a top sheathing has been secured tothe binding material, the frame 10 is inverted and the filler slab 18removed.

Spacers 20 are placed on the exposed surface of the insulating block andbinding material and a second sheathing 30 are applied, as reviouslydescribed. In Figure 4, the met 10d of applying the second sheathing 30is illustrated.

The binding material which I utilize is preferably of such nature thatit liquefies under heat and remains in a semi-solid condition at normaltemperatures. Such a material not only imparts desirable sound deadeningcharacteristics to the structure in which the compositewall is used, butserves to effectively unite the insulating material and the protectivecovering whereby the inner and outer protective sheathings are tiedtogether and the entire assembly held rigidly in place. Such a fillingmay comprise artificial asphalt, natural asphalt, or similar ma terial.While such material effectively adheres not only to the insulating bodybut to the protective sheathings, I have found that it is possible touse a wide variety of different materials for preliminarily coating theinner surfaces of the protective sheathings prior to applying thesheathings to the binding material. Where preliminary coatings are used,I prefer to employ a solution of coal tar oils or similar material.

I have found that in certain types of compound wall structures, materialsuch as sodium silicate may be used effectively in place of material ofthe type hereinbefore referred to. Where such material is used, thenecessity of employing heat to liquefy the binding material is obviated.

It will be noted that by the employment of spacers, such as indicated bythe reference numeral 20, the protective sheathings 22 and 30 arepermanently and positively maintained in spaced relation to theinsulating body. The spaces between the surfaces of the insulating bodyand the inner surfaces of the protective sheathings are completelyfilled with binding material which, in addition to imparting sounddeadening properties to the wall, permanently secures the sheathings andinsulating body together. The binding material serves as an effectivemeans for preventing air circulation and this, in turn, prevents thecondensation of moisture.

I have described in detail the present preferred method of practicing myinvention and have illustrated and described apparatus for practicingthe process. It is to be understood, however, that the invention may beotherwise embodied or practiced within the scope of the followingclaims.

I claim: v

1. The method of making compound wall structures, comprising arranging asolid nonplastic insulating body in a frame, coating at least one sideof the body with a binding material, placing a protective sheathing onthe coated body, and exerting pressure on the sheathing to cause it toadhere to the binding material while maintaining it in positive spacedrelation to the insulating body.

2. The method of making compound wall structures, comprising arranging asolid nonplastic insulating body in a frame, coating at least one sideof the body with a binding material, placing a protective sheathing onthe coated body, and exerting pressure on the sheathing to cause it toadhere to the binding material while maintaining it in positive spacedrelation to the insulating body by means other than the binding materialitself.

3. The method of making compound wall structures, comprising arranging asolid insulating body in a frame, placing spacers on at least one sideof the body, coating the side of the body having the spacers thereonwith a binding material, and uniting a sheathing with the bindingmaterial by exerting pressure on the sheathing while maintaining itpositive spaced relation to the insulating 4. The method of makingcompound wall structures, comprising arranging a solid insulating bodyin a frame, placing spacers on at least one side of the body, coatingthe side of the body having the spacers thereon with a binding material,the coating being of a thickness at least equal to the height of thespacers, and uniting a sheathing with the binding material by exertingpressure on the sheathing while maintaining it in positive spacedrelation to the insulating body.

5. The method of making compound wall structures, comprising arranging asolid insulating body in a frame, placing spacers on at least oneside ofthe body, coating the side of the body having the spacers thereon with abinding material, and uniting a sheathing with the binding material byexerting rolling pressure on the sheathing while maintaining it inpositive spaced relation to the insulating body.

6. The method of making compound wall structures, comprising lining aframe with paper or the like, arranging a solid insulating body withinthe frame, coating at least one side of the body with a bindingmaterial, placing a protective sheathing on the coated body, andexerting pressure on the sheathing to cause it to adhere to the bindingmaterial while maintaining itin positive spaced relation to theinsulating body.

7 The method of making compound wall structures, comprising supporting asolid insulating body within a frame by a filler, placing spacing meanson the exposed side of the body, coating the exposed side with a bindingmaterial, uniting a protective sheathing with the binding material byexerting rolling pressure thereon, inverting the frame, removing thefiller, applying binding material to the opposite side of the body, anduniting another protective sheathing with the bind ing material on saidopposite side.

8. The method of making compound wall structures, comprising arranging asolid nonplastic insulating body in a frame, coating at least one sideof the body with a binding material of such nature that it liquefiesunder heat but remains in a semi-solid condition at normal temperatures,placing a protective sheathing on the coated body, and exerting pressureon the sheathing to cause it to adhere to the binding material whilemaintaining it in positive spaced relation to the insulating body.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

LUTHER L. KNOX.

